Founded in 2009, the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting and its publication, The Maine Monitor, has published hundreds of in-depth stories that have had impact throughout the state and won numerous awards from state, regional and national journalism groups.
The mission of the nonprofit newsroom is: To deliver fearless, independent, citizen-supported, nonpartisan journalism that informs Mainers about the issues impacting our state and inspires them to take action. Through investigative and in-depth stories, we engage readers to participate and connect to create a better Maine.
NEWSROOM IMPACT
The Maine Monitor reported in its first annual impact report that it doubled its news content in 2022, delivering on its promise to serve Mainers independent, investigative journalism that matters.
The Maine Monitor saw considerable growth in its readership as a result, welcoming thousands of new readers and doubling visitors to its website. New donors likewise joined the community supporting the Monitor’s important nonprofit news efforts.
Stories produced by The Maine Monitor newsroom prompted real actions for Mainers in 2022, including numerous legislative reforms and rule changes at the Maine Commission on Indigent Legal Services, and the funding of five public defender positions, the first in the state’s history, as a result of Samantha Hogan’s award-winning “Defenseless” project.
AWARDS
The work of our newsroom has received 151 accolades from the Maine Press Association since 2015, and the New England Newspaper & Press Association has bestowed our newsroom with its prestigious Publick Occurrences Award five times.
The work of the staff and contributors to The Maine Monitor has earned recognition from the Society of Professional Journalists, National Headliner Awards, Institute for Nonprofit News, National Newspaper Association, the Livingston Awards, Local Independent Online News (LION) Publishers, American Bar Association, the Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reporting, New England Emmy Awards, Report for America, First Amendment Coalition, Maine Public Health Association, Outdoor Writers Association of America, and the Associated Church Press.
2023
SPJ Sunshine Award — Winner — Eavesdropping in Maine Jails — Samantha Hogan
Outdoor Writers Association of America — First Place (action photo) — So Sorry, Saury — Derrick Z. Jackson
Outdoor Writers Association of America — President’s Choice Award for Photography — So Sorry, Saury — Derrick Z. Jackson
National Headliner Awards — Third Place (environmental story) — The Unstoppable Ocean — Kate Cough and Alex MacLean
Silver Gavel Awards — Winner (multimedia reporting) — Eavesdropping in Maine Jails — Samantha Hogan
National Newspaper Association Awards — First Place (investigative story/series) — Eavesdropping in Maine Jails — Samantha Hogan
National Newspaper Association Awards — First Place (sports story) — Under represented: Numbers lag for women coaches across Maine varsity sports — George Harvey
National Newspaper Association Awards — Second Place (education/literacy story) — Building strength: Addressing mental health challenges among Maine youth — Rose Lundy
National Newspaper Association Awards — Second Place (business story) — ‘Dark store’ theory: Walmart, large retailers push to cut millions in property taxes statewide — Kate Cough
National Newspaper Association Awards — Third Place (feature series) — The Journey to Be Me — Barbara A. Walsh
Investigative Reporters & Editors Awards — Finalist — Eavesdropping in Maine Jails — Samantha Hogan
Report for America Awards — Third Place (enterprise reporting) — The Unstoppable Ocean — Kate Cough
Best of Church Press Awards — Honorable Mention — Maine religious leaders hope to stem drop in attendance — Ellie Wolfe
New England Emmy Awards — Finalist (light feature) — Chasing Maine: The Feeding Frenzy — Roger McCord
Livingston Awards — Finalist — Eavesdropping in Maine Jails — Samantha Hogan
Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reporting — Semifinalist — Eavesdropping in Maine Jails — Samantha Hogan
FAC Free Speech and Open Government Award — Winner — Eavesdropping in Maine Jails — Samantha Hogan
2022
Maine Public Health Association’s Public Health Journalism Award — Rose Lundy
National Newspaper Association Awards — First Place (feature series) — Deaths of Despair — Barbara A. Walsh
National Newspaper Association Awards — First Place (investigative story/series) — Lawyers who were ineligible to handle serious criminal charges were given thousands of these cases anyway — Samantha Hogan and Agnel Philip
National Newspaper Association Awards — Third Place (environmental) — Staggering $1.5 billion lithium deposit discovered near Newry — Kate Cough
National Newspaper Association Awards — Third Place (feature series) — Unsafe Homes: Children in Peril — Barbara A. Walsh
Report for America Awards — First Place (investigative reporting) Jailed defendants expected private attorney calls. They didn’t always get them. — Samantha Hogan
Report for America Awards — Third Place (feature writing) — Tiny Coopers Mills reeling in the aftermath of nursing home closure — Rose Lundy
Local Independent Online News (LION) Publishers Awards — Finalist (accountability reporting) — Eavesdropping in Maine Jails — Samantha Hogan
Local Independent Online News (LION) Publishers Awards — Finalist (public service project) — The Journey to Be Me — Barbara A. Walsh
Local Independent Online News (LION) Publishers Awards — Finalist (outstanding coverage) — Nursing homes face ongoing staff shortages, a problem that predates the pandemic — Rose Lundy and Braeden Waddell
Institute for Nonprofit News Awards — Honorable Mention (investigative reporting) — Eavesdropping in Maine Jails — Samantha Hogan
New England Emmy Awards — Finalist (video essay) — Chasing Maine: The Rodeo Clown — Roger McCord
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (best circulation promotion) — A statewide look at Maine’s natural beauty from our newsletter subscribers — George Harvey and the Monitor’s readers
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (investigative report) — Eavesdropping in Maine Jails — Samantha Hogan
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (news story) — Nominees for Maine’s public defense commission broke rules to work on serious criminal cases — Samantha Hogan
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (business/economics story) — ‘Dark store’ theory: Walmart, large retailers push to cut millions in property taxes statewide — Kate Cough
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (analysis) — As families struggle to afford 15-minute phone calls from jail, Maine counties rake in millions — Samantha Hogan
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (environmental) — Staggering $1.5 billion lithium deposit discovered near Newry; excavating it poses a challenge — Kate Cough
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (feature story) — Lack of data stymies efforts to address firefighter shortage — Vanessa Paolella
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (sports news) — Numbers lag for women coaches across Maine varsity sports — George Harvey
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (sports profile) — Pennsylvania community places hope in a tiger turned Barbarian from Maine — Eric Conrad
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (education) — As COVID-19 surged, so did the number of nursing students preparing to enter the fight — Rose Lundy
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (courts story) — Judge orders evidentiary hearing in Bates case, opening ‘actual innocence gateway’ in Maine — Jordan Andrews
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (arts/lifestyle) — From child refugee to “proud” Mainer — Barbara A. Walsh
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (religion/spirituality) — Keeping a culture alive, one drumbeat at a time — Barbara A. Walsh
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (outdoors) — Bicycling alone, no more: Maine moves toward active transportation — Rose Lundy
Maine Press Association Awards — Freedom of Information Award — Eavesdropping in Maine Jails — Samantha Hogan
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (continuing story) — Unsafe Homes — Barbara A. Walsh
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (local columnist) — Marina Schauffler (example one; example two)
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (feature story headline) — Child homicides are the tip of Maine’s ‘iceberg of abuse’ — Barbara A. Walsh
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (graphic) — Taxes and fees on gasoline by state — Kate Cough
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (people photo) — Marie Paul — Fred J. Field
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (sports video) — Chasing Maine: The Ball Game — Roger McCord
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (news video) — Chasing Maine: The Oasis — Roger McCord
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (features/lifestyle video) — Chasing Maine: The Rodeo Clown — Roger McCord
Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (digital general excellence) — The Maine Monitor newsroom
Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (best self-promotion) — The Maine Monitor newsroom
Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (courts story) — Attorney general sues Maine lawyer for ‘negligent misrepresentation’ of billing — Samantha Hogan
Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (analysis) — How ‘green’ is Maine? Recycling data is so incomplete, state experts don’t have clear picture — Kate Cough
Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (environmental) — Maine’s prime farmland is being lost to solar. Is ‘dual use’ the answer? — Kate Cough
Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (feature story) — Tiny Coopers Mills reeling in the aftermath of nursing home closure — Rose Lundy
Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (health) — Nursing homes face ongoing staff shortages, a problem that predates the pandemic — Rose Lundy and Braeden Waddell
Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (education story) — Education officials, advocates celebrate 55% state funding achievement. But can it endure? — Andrew Howard
Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (political story) — Make your case, await the verdict as Legislative Council sets agenda for session — Andrew Howard
Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (business/economics) — Headwinds at 20: As Downeaster nears a milestone birthday, questions arise about its future — Eric Conrad
Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (sports news) — Pennsylvania community places hope in a tiger turned Barbarian from Maine — Eric Conrad
Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (picture story) — Deaths of Despair — Fred J. Field
Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (feature photo) — Thorndike Fire Department — Garrick Hoffman
Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (continuing story) — Deaths of Despair — Barbara A. Walsh
Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (opinion columnist) — Marina Schauffler (example one; example two)
Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (news photo) — Downeaster train — Jill Brady
Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (features/lifestyle video) — The Indomitable Spirit — Roger McCord
Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (sports video) — Chasing Maine: The Gold Ball — Roger McCord
Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (news video) — Chasing Maine: The Cultural Ambassador — Roger McCord
Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (investigative report) — Maine’s effort to address lead poisoning was gaining momentum before COVID-19 — Rose Lundy
Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (analysis) — Defense lawyers say system crumbling under huge backlog, inadequate funding for indigent defendants — Samantha Hogan
Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (environmental) — There are more devices in Mainers’ lives than ever. No one knows where they end up. — Kate Cough
Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (political story) — Lawmaker pushes to restore parole to Maine’s justice system — Douglas Rooks
Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (business/economics story) — Help needed! Maine tourism faces too much business and too little staff — Janine Pineo
Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (courts story) — COVID-19 forces York County Jail to turn would-be inmates away — Andrew Howard
Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (arts/lifestyle) — Keeping a culture alive, one drumbeat at a time — Barbara A. Walsh
Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (food story) — What will it take to grow Maine’s local food economy? — Marina Schauffler
Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (news story headline) — Maine’s pollen problem is nothing to sneeze at — Hal Madsen
Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (picture story) — Keeping a culture alive, one drumbeat at a time — Fred J. Field
Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (news video) — Chasing Maine: The Antique Car Show — Roger McCord
Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (features/lifestyle video) — Chasing Maine: The Place of Peace — Roger McCord
Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (sports video) — Chasing Maine: The Epic Comeback — Roger McCord
Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (illustration) — The Maine Monitor audio logo — Olivia Martin
2021
Maine Press Association’s Journalist of the Year — Samantha Hogan
Livingston Awards — Finalist — Defenseless — Samantha Hogan
Silver Gavel Awards — Finalist — Defenseless — Samantha Hogan
New England Emmy Awards — Finalist (historical/cultural short form video) — Chasing Maine — Roger McCord
Institute for Nonprofit News Awards — Honorable Mention (investigative reporting) — Defenseless — Samantha Hogan
Maine Press Association Awards — Photography Best in Show — Escaping danger at a Black Lives Matter protest — Katie Brown
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (best young reader engagement) — 2020: A Class Dismissed — Bailey Beltramo
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (political story) — How record sums of money have shaped Maine’s 2020 elections — Susan Cover, Darren Fishell, Meg Robbins
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (courts story) — Lawyers who were ineligible to handle serious criminal charges were given thousands of these cases anyway — Samantha Hogan and Agnel Philip
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (investigative report) — Defenseless — Samantha Hogan
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (people photo) — The Last Responders — Yoon S. Byun
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (picture story) — The rise of angels during a hellish year — Fred J. Field
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (illustration) — A low bar for public defense — Chloe Cushman
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (sports headline) — From his seat in a wheelchair, nobody ever stood taller — Hal Madsen
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (sports profile) — From his seat in a wheelchair, nobody ever stood taller — Steve Solloway
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (continuing story) — The Last Responders — Barbara A. Walsh
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (arts/lifestyle) — Together, to the compassionate end — Barbara A. Walsh
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (feature story) — The rise of angels during a hellish year — Barbara A. Walsh
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (religion/spirituality) — Consoling the dying and grieving in the COVID-19 era — Barbara A. Walsh
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (feature story headline) — From his seat in a wheelchair, nobody ever stood taller — Hal Madsen
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (environmental story) — The drive toward vehicle electrification in Maine — Marina Schauffler
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (business/economics story) — Maine enters recession in wake of virus — Samantha Hogan and Meg Robbins
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (news video) — Maine’s governor born for hard times, and hard decisions — Yoon S. Byun and Barbara A. Walsh
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (features/lifestyle video) — Chasing Maine: The Boneyard Hunter Roger McCord
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (education story) — As students resume classes, school officials prepare for potential pandemic-induced educational divide — Rose Lundy
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (digital general excellence) — The Maine Monitor newsroom
Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (news photo) — Escaping danger at a Black Lives Matter protest — Katie Brown
Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (political story) — Maine’s governor born for hard times, and hard decisions — Barbara A. Walsh
Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (investigative report) — The preacher and the outbreak — Barbara A. Walsh
Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (continuing story) — Breach of attorney-client privilege in Somerset County sparks outrage in Maine legal community — Samantha Hogan
Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (arts/lifestyle) — The Wonderful Life of Bob Bahre — Steve Solloway
Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (feature story) — A Maine traveling nurse doing her part to combat COVID — Steve Solloway
Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (religion/spirituality) — The preacher and the outbreak — Barbara A. Walsh
Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (environmental story) — Environmental experts push back on Canadian company’s plans to mine for metal in Maine — Katie Brown
Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (business/economic story) — Online directory aims to help Black businesses thrive in nation’s whitest state — Jordan Bailey
Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (sports video) — Chasing Maine: The Messenger — Roger McCord
Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (features/lifestyle video) — Chasing Maine: The Harvesters — Roger McCord
Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (feature photo) — Gov. Janet Mills — Yoon S. Byun
Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (graphic) — Metal mines and deposits — Meg Robbins
Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (analysis) — Green bank could help Maine turn tide on fossil fuel dependency — Marina Schauffler
Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (continuing story) — The preacher and the outbreak — Barbara A. Walsh
Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (arts/lifestyle) — From his seat in a wheelchair, nobody ever stood taller — Steve Solloway
Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (feature story) — Maine’s governor born for hard times, and hard decisions — Barbara A. Walsh
Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (religion/spirituality story) — Playing God with public health — Barbara A. Walsh
Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (feature story headline) — The rise of angels during a hellish year — Hal Madsen
Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (features/lifestyle video) — Chasing Maine: A Banner Day — Roger McCord
2020
Maine Public Health Association’s Public Health Journalism Award — Staff of The Maine Monitor newsroom
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (digital general excellence) — Staff of The Maine Monitor newsroom
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (Freedom of Information) — Indigent Defense — Samantha Hogan
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (best new revenue idea) — The Fate of Local Journalism — Dan Dinsmore, Samantha Hogan, Connie Sage Conner
Maine Press Association Awards — Bob Drake Young Writer Award — Meg Robbins (for work at The Maine Monitor and Morning Sentinel)
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (investigative report) — The high cost of poor defense — Samantha Hogan
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (feature photo) — Hands at work — Gabe Souza
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (feature story) — Another death in the family — Steve Solloway
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (courts story) — The disparities of deferred dispositions — Susan Cover
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (news story) — Maine ranks 9th in number of children impacted by opioid crisis — Barbara Walsh
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (political story) — Tiffany Bond and the 2020 spending race — Samantha Hogan
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (continuing story) — Coverage of indigent defense in Maine — Samantha Hogan and Dan Dinsmore
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (business/economics story) — The $132M electricity rip-off — Darren Fishell
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (education story) — Are Maine’s charter schools failing to thrive? — Samantha Hogan
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (news story headline) — Another death in the family — Dan Dinsmore
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (features/lifestyle video) — Bumbleroot Farm — Charlie Stuart
Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (investigative report) — Stockpile crash: Maine lacks essential medical equipment to fight coronavirus — Samantha Hogan
Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (business/economics story) — Help Wanted: The Immigrant Opportunity — Peter Weed
Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (feature story) — Stuck in the stack: Asylum seeker’s life in limbo amid wait for approval — Samantha Hogan
Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (feature story headline) — Due Process — Staff of The Maine Monitor newsroom
Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (environmental story) — A breaking wave — Marina Schauffler
Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (continuing story) — Due Process — Susan Cover, Julie Pike, Dan Dinsmore
Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (illustration) — High Hour Alerts — Samantha Hogan
Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (continuing story) — Help Wanted: The Immigrant Opportunity — Peter Weed, Dan Dinsmore, Gabe Souza
Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (illustration) — Paying for Defense — Samantha Hogan
Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (graphic) — Refugee Resettlement — Jessica Ouellete
Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (best young reader engagement idea) — News Literacy —Samantha Hogan
Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (best self-promotion) — The role of nonprofit journalism — Dan Dinsmore
Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (news video) — An interview with Washington Post editor Alan Sipress — Eric Bailey and Samantha Hogan
Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (analysis) — The $132M electricity rip-off — Darren Fishell
2019
Maine Press Association Awards — Freedom of Information Award — Born to Drugs — Barbara A. Walsh
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (digital general excellence) — Staff of The Maine Monitor newsroom
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (people photo) — JP’s Journey — Yoon S. Byun
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (picture story) — From depths of addiction to symbol of hope — Yoon S. Byun
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (courts story) — Evidence of innocence? Foster Bates has renewed hope for a retrial. — Jordan Bailey
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (investigative report) — Born to Drugs — Barbara A. Walsh
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (feature story) — Desperate to change: A mother battles addiction to keep her baby — Barbara A. Walsh
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (continuing story) — Born to Drugs — Barbara A. Walsh
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (illustration) — Born to Drugs — Jessica Ouellete
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (graphic) — The News Makers — Jessica Ouellete
Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (education) — Frustrated Maine parents rally against proficiency-based learning — Susan Cover
Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (feature photo) — What’s the objective — Sarah Rice
Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (special online project) — Born to Drugs — Jessica Ouellete
Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (news story) — Upstream Battle: Belfast residents divided over salmon farm — Susan Cover
Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (political story) — Called to action: More women run for political office amid frustrations — Patricia McCarthy
Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (analysis) — LePage’s Legacy — Mike Miliard
2017
New England Newspaper & Press Association’s Publick Occurrences Award — Single Parents in Poverty — Naomi Schalit
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (political story) — Gov. LePage takes role in new PAC formed to support low-tax candidates — Joshua F. Moore
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (investigative report) — Single Parents in Poverty — Naomi Schalit
Maine Press Association Awards — Third Place (investigative report) — Blind Trust — Dave Sherwood
2016
New England Newspaper & Press Association’s Publick Occurrences Award — The Lottery: Selling Hope to the Hopeless — Dave Sherwood
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (investigative report) — The Lottery: Selling Hope to the Hopeless — Dave Sherwood
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (special online project) — Making Connections — Meg Robbins, Dorothy Hastings, Naomi Schalit
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (political story) — Maine Democrats play middleman between wealthy Clinton donors and national party — Naomi Schalit
Maine Press Association Awards — Second Place (health) — Danger: Lead Poisoning — Naomi Schalit
2015
New England Newspaper & Press Association’s Publick Occurrences Award — LD 1750: A study in how special interests get their way in the Maine legislature — Naomi Schalit
Maine Press Association Awards — First Place (investigative report) — LD 1750: A study in how special interests get their way in the Maine legislature — Naomi Schalit
2014
Yankee Quill Award — John Christie
New England Newspaper & Press Association’s Publick Occurrences Award — Rx for Theft — Naomi Schalit and John Christie
New England Newspaper & Press Association’s Publick Occurrences Award — The book on Paul LePage: The ‘biggest, baddest person around’ crashes Augusta’s ‘nicey-nicey’ club — John Christie